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Tue, Apr

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Having played for 18 clubs during a professional career that stretches all the way back to 1994, Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Tony Warner has seen more than his fair share of stadiums over the years.

After taking his first look at Eden Park yesterday, he rates it right up there.

The Phoenix play Adelaide United at Eden Park at 5pm today in a match where the club is as desperate to increase its fan base as it is to secure three points and again they'll be relying on the shot stopping abilities of Warner, who was superb against Brisbane last weekend in the 1-1 draw.

Yesterday, the Phoenix held at training session at Eden Park and afterwards Warner said he was impressed with the stadium.

"It's lovely, it's superb," said the English-born keeper.

"I was obviously aware of the Rugby World Cup final being played here in front of 60,000.

"This is a proper stadium and it will be a joy to play here.

"It's good that we get opportunities to play in these places. I never thought I would have got to play at Eden Park, so this is another one ticked off the list.

"I hadn't been outside the airport in Auckland before.

"We came up very early on Thursday morning and Auckland looks like a nice city, it's obviously bigger than Wellington.

"It's quite established and looks like a nice place."

As for tonight's game where a crowd of around 15,000 is hoped for, it's likely to be a dogfight between two teams desperate to escape the lower echelons of the points table.

The Phoenix go into the game with just five points from their six games, while Adelaide have accumulated just two points more.

"It's going to be a hard game and it's an old fashioned six pointer," said the 37-year-old Warner.

"If we beat them we go above them. It is important to build on last week and if we get a good result it will make last week seem so much better.

"We're kind of establishing a bit of a foothold now and this will be our game.

"Obviously each team we play against is a new team and I find out stuff about their players.

"We think that we did do well last week and it was a good performance, but that's gone now although we've got to try to build on that."

A major blow for Adelaide is the loss of their key striker Sergio van Dijk, who's out with a calf injury.

"I understand he's a good player, but as far as seeing him goes, I'm not really aware of him," said Warner.

"From what I've heard around the lads he is good, but I'm sure there's someone else who wants to take van Dijk's spot, so they'll want to come in and try to impress.

"We can't sit back and think it's great that he's not playing because there will be an able deputy stepping in for him.

"We are away from Wellington, but this is our home ground and we have to get our home form sorted out.

"At least we'll have the support and hopefully we'll get a good crowd here.

"You can look at it two ways. It's an away game for Adelaide, so they don't really care where they play.

"But also they might be saying to themselves this is an away game for Wellington and they're not used to it, if I was their manager that's what I'd be saying.

"But we will have the support and we have to treat it as a home game.

"Last season our home form was second to none ... so we have to make sure we get a result."